Great, Well Apparently Facial Fillers Can Make You Go Blind

Fillers — those line plumping and wrinkle-reducing injections (usually of hyaluronic acid) —have gotten increasingly popular over the past several years. The quick, in-office procedure can deliver addictively good results without all the scariness that comes with full-blown cosmetic surgeries. But that’s not to say fillers don’t have serious risks... like blindness, apparently.

“One of the rare risks of having filler injections performed is that the filler material itself can get into and block a blood vessel,” Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, tells Allure. “If that happens, the results can be devastating.”
Here's what goes down: The blockage can prevent the delivery of oxygen and other nutrients, which could have major consequences. “If the skin is affected, scarring can develop. If the eyes are affected, it can result in blindness,” Zeichner adds.

Naturally, the case study is scary enough to make you rethink booking that filler appointment. But before you totally freak out, here’s what you need to know about the real risks concerning blindness from fillers.

First of all, this is super rare. For all the procedures involving fillers (about 2.6 million people got the needle last year alone, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons), there’s only been a handful of reported cases of blindness. “In the event that after a filler injection, you experience any significant, sharp pain, if the skin develops a purple, lacy, or dusky appearance make sure to call your doctor immediately, “ Zeichner says. Hyaluronic acid fillers can be dissolved, so if there’s an issue, the faster you can do that, the better your chances of avoiding a serious outcome.

Secondly, where you get the filler matters. “Certain areas are more at risk than others,” Sejal Shah, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York, tells Allure. “The highest risk areas are the area between the eyebrows, the nose, and the nasal region.” In those areas, neurotoxin injections (aka Botox or Dysport) might be the safer choice, adds Zeichner.

Finally, technique is key, so make sure you see someone who knows their stuff. “Many of us do not inject fillers in high-risk areas and actually pull back on the plunger of the syringe before injecting to make sure that the needle is not placed within a blood vessel,” Zeichner says. To ensure you’re getting the best care, "make sure you are seeing a well-trained, board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon, who is thoroughly educated in facial anatomy and techniques for injecting different types of fillers,” adds Shah. These experts will also be able to deal with any adverse effects ASAP.

The bottom line? Every medical procedure — including the seemingly innocuous facial perk up you can get with a quick injection — has risks. So make sure you know what they are going in. Before resorting to the needle, talk to your dermatologist about any weird side effects you might be at risk for and inject accordingly.